


Focus on Yourself For Once

by nickimonkey (orphan_account)



Series: Chalex Prompts [12]
Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst with a Happy Ending, Compromise, Future Fic, M/M, Making Up, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:53:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26013673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/nickimonkey
Summary: Ever since Charlie started college he would drop everything to help Alex, even to the point of ignoring other responsibilities. One day Alex finally has enough
Relationships: Charlie St. George/Alex Standall
Series: Chalex Prompts [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1878526
Comments: 8
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally supposed to being my day four I think of Chalex Week

When Alex got back to the apartment he shared with his boyfriend he found himself not wanting to tell Charlie that he was tired because he did not want to be fussed over. 

The younger man had a habit of dropping everything to take care of Alex. It did not matter what he was in the middle of, sometimes it would even be a test Charlie did not tell Alex he was in the process of taking.

He already knew Charlie was having a hard time adjusting to college life, what with the increasingly hard classes, football practice and a mentally disabled boyfriend.

Charlie had to be one of the most selfless people on the planet but it was starting to become a problem when he had started ignoring himself.

Alex was surprised to see their lights were all off. Maybe Charlie went to class today like he had promised Alex this morning. He flipped the light switch in their bedroom on so he could change into something more comfortable thinking nothing of it.

Charlie, who has been sleeping on the bed the whole day woke up, startled by the sudden rush of light."What the hell?" He asked, rubbing his eyes so they can adjust. 

"I could ask you the same damn question." Alex retorted, crossing his arms after calming down from that little scare Charlie had given him. "Aren't you supposed to be in class? Did you even go to the class today?"

"My first class was canceled. So I thought there was nothing wrong with me taking a little nap." Charlie set up, getting a better look at Alex. "I guess I ended up sleeping the day away."

"Was your class really canceled or are you just using it as an excuse to justify sleeping in bed all day?" Alex knew Charlie’s patterns recently.

“I swear to you it really was canceled.“ Charlie raised his hands in surrender. “After you had that nightmare last night I could’ve used a bit more sleep.”

“So could I. But I still went to school like an adult.” Alex rolled his eyes. “And I didn’t ask you to stay up with me, you wanted to. In fact I’m pretty sure I remember telling you to go back to sleep.”

“You needed me. What am I supposed to do? Ignore you when you need me?” Charlie asked.

“No. Of course not. I’m only asking for you to please focus on yourself sometimes.” Alex sighed. “I don’t remember the last time you ate without me forcing you to.”

”I’ve had more Important things to do.” Charlie told him. This whole conversation making him want to fall back asleep. 

“Like what Charlie? What could possibly be more important than eating and your education for that matter?” Alex hated the idea of Charlie compromising himself for any reason.

“You.” He finally admitted. “Making sure you are okay and safe is my number one priority. I don’t want anything to come in the way of that.”

”You cannot be serious right now.” A minor part of Alex wanted apologize for jumping to conclusions since no one seemed to care about him much before Charlie came along. However that part of him was overruled by the anger building up inside of him. Because no matter how romantic it could be considered, Charlie went about it in the worst possible way. There are so many other things he could have done to make Alex know he was important while still being able to take care of himself.

Charlie hopped off the bed and followed him after watching Alex storm off into the kitchen. When he finally caught up he saw the older boy in front of his laptop, starting to lift the screen up. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“What is your Blackboard going to tell me when I log into it Charles?” Alex questioned with a glare. “Is it going to tell me you’re failing every class? Or better yet that you’ve been dropped completely because you haven’t shown up in days? And what about football? You could lose your scholarship over this. Am I really that important to you?”

“Yes. Of course.” Charlie said, almost immediately before moving to stand closer to him. “How could you even ask me that?”

“This is not what I wanted.” Alex said, dismissively as he tried to collect his thoughts. “This is one of the reasons I tried to push you away before.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Charlie froze. Alex was not breaking up with him, was he?

“It means I did not want your life to be consumed with me. You should be your own person.” Alex sighed, running his hands through his hair.

Charlie was really confused. Had he done something wrong? “I’m not sure I understand. I thought that was what being in love with supposed to be like?”

“Not when it’s basically consumes you to the point you don’t even take care of yourself or forego other responsibilities just to help me with something.” He snapped before slowly walking back up to him. “Charlie, I love you more than anything in this world but sometimes it feels like I’m someone you’re paid to take care of instead of your boyfriend.”

Charlie sighed. He knew he could be overly caring and could take it a little too far. It all really stemmed from when his mother was sick. “I didn’t know you felt that way. You should have told me sooner if it was really starting to bother you.”

“It’s never bothered me in the slightest. In fact I quite like it.“ Alex reached his hand up to caress the stubble on Charlie’s cheek. “But when I see you barely eating, barely showering, sleeping all day and not going to class because you’re tired I kinda have to put my foot down.”

With his boyfriend describing everything he’s done over the past few months made Charlie really realize it was becoming a problem. “I just wanted…after everything you’ve been through.”

“All of that bullshit had made me a stronger person. A person that is able to take care of himself.” Alex wrapped his arms around Charlie’s neck. “ I survived all of last year without you here and I think I did a pretty good job, don’t you think?”

“You did an excellent job.” Charlie nodded softly. “I’m sorry I was smothering you.”

“Now it’s my turn to take care of you.” Alex smirked, shrugging off his boyfriend’s apology. Charlie did not need to apologize for taking care of him. “But from now on you cannot help me unless I ask for or unless my brain is so messed up I can’t really talk. Do we have a deal?”

Charlie pretended like he was contemplating the terms of the deal before smiling. “I think I can live with that.”

“And the only time you really have to keep a watchful eye on me is when I am with Zach.” Alex told him, laughing. "I almost fell off the roof of a building and almost drowned in the lake during the camping trip in the span of like three months.”

Charlie’s eyes went wide and his mouth hung open. This was the first time he was hearing about these things. “You did what?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a small epilogue to show how far Charlie's come.

A year can do a lot to better a person. At least that's what Charlie St. George believes. He believes that if Alex did not give him a kick in the ass when he did they would not be together right now.

Charlie had done a lot of things wrong without realizing it. Not taking care of himself enough, taking care of Alex more than he needed to to the point where the older boy felt smothered by him.

He remembered the day after their fight he was up at the crack of dawn ready to go to school. Charlie had been ready to put his college career back on track. 

Luckily for him there was a month and a half of the semester left so he was able to raise his grades quite a bit. Charlie did not know what he would if he could have make up for him slacking off. His dad would have killed him if he came home with F's.

Charlie would get up, sometimes even be dressed and ready before Alex. He also made sure the older boy had coffee and something to eat before leaving for class.

Now Charlie was an A student and quarterback of the college football team by the end of his sophomore year.

Alex came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Charlie's neck. "What are you working on?"

Charlie shrugged. "Just my essay final."

The older boy kissed his cheek. "I'm really proud of you."

Charlie blushed, a red coloring to his cheeks. "Thanks babe."

"I mean it." Alex told him, playfully rolling his eyes. "You have done a complete 180 from last year."

"I could not have done it without you." Charlie replied, honestly.

"Oh please. I didn't do much of anything." Alex scoffed. "I'm just the annoying boyfriend who could not appreciate everything you were doing for me."

"Alex no. You know I hate when you downplay shit so stop it." Charlie took the brunette by the waist and maneuvered him to where he was sitting in his lap. "You saved me, saved my career, our future. I could not be more grateful for that."

"Consider it repaying the favor." Alex laughed. "Now we are going to be a famous football player and I'm gonna go out of my mind every game afraid you are going to get hurt."

"I promise I will be careful." Charlie told him, lightly pressing their lips together. "I don't want you worrying about me too much."

"Oh honey." Alex jokingly started, putting his arms gently on Charlie's shoulder blades. "I'm always going to worry about you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think.
> 
> I'm off to work on Moving On and my first chapter of my first story for Blaine and Sam from glee.
> 
> A lot of things are coming so keep an eye out (:

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think.
> 
> I'm tempted to do a part two, as like a sort of epilogue. If that is something you would like to see don't hesitate to tell me (:


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